Agenda item

Ward: Trafalgar

Applicant: Domino’s Pizza UK & Ireland plc

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the change of use from a restaurant to a hot food takeaway to enable Domino’s Pizza to relocate from 41 Springfield Road.  The proposal included the installation of extraction equipment towards the rear of the building and external alterations to the shop front including new fenestration and entrances.  Internal alterations were also proposed.

The application site was located in Horsham Town Centre on the western side of Springfield Road at the end of a row of commercial premises.  There were other commercial units east and south of the site, and residential development to the north and west. 

Details of relevant government and council policies and relevant planning history, as contained within the report, were noted by the Committee. The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.

The Parish Council had not commented on the application.  There had been 23 objections from 22 respondents. Since publication of the report one further objection had been received and an addendum to the report advised Members of details of the objection and officer comments. 

In response to concerns regarding the impact of late night traffic movements caused by pizza delivery vehicles, an additional condition was recommended requiring a Delivery Service Management Plan for the takeout delivery service to be agreed and implemented.  It was agreed that this condition, as set out in the addendum, would be amended to require an Operational Management Plan so that all activity on the site would be in accordance with an approved plan. 

Two members of the public, including a representative of the Potters Place Residents Association, spoke in objection to the application and the applicant’s agent addressed the Committee in support of the proposal.  

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; its appearance and the visual amenities of the street scene; the amenity of neighbouring occupiers; and parking and traffic conditions.

Whilst Members were concerned that the proposal would lead to additional traffic movements, they acknowledged that there were no highways grounds on which to refuse the application and considered that the Operational Management Plan would help to safeguard the amenities of adjacent occupiers and be in the interests of highway safety.

In response to concerns regarding the storage and removal of refuse, including the capacity and type of bin, it was agreed that an additional condition requiring an approved Refuse Strategy be added to safeguard the amenities of the area.

RESOLVED

That planning application DC/18/0612 be granted subject to the conditions as reported, with two additional conditions:

(i)         A condition requiring an Operational Management Plan to, to be agreed with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Local Members:

‘The use hereby permitted shall not commence until an Operational Management Plan has been submitted to and been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All activity at the site, including all delivery services shall take place in full accordance with the Operational Management Plan thereafter from date of first use.’

(ii)        A condition requiring a Refuse Strategy:

‘The use hereby permitted shall not commence until a Refuse Strategy has been submitted to and been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved Refuse Strategy shall be implemented at first use and shall be retained as such thereafter.’